Foot appliance for swimmers



May 27; 1930. CHASTENAY 1,760,476

FOOT APPLIANCE FOR SWIMMERS ,Filed July 19, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor A iiorney May 27, 1930. N. A. CHASTENAY FOOT APPLIANCE FOR SWIMMERS Filed -Ju1 19, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2- Attorney Patented May 27, 1930 y r r i UNl-TE STATS arsnr nonMAN A. cnas'rnnnr, on ozone PARK, new YORK roo'r nrrnrnncn son SWIMMERS Application filed July '19, 1929. Serial No. 379,480.

This invention relates to an improved Figure 2 is an open plan view. aquatic appliance adapted for attachment to Figure is also an open plan view of the the hands and feet of long distance swimmers, frame constituting an important part of the but susceptible of such practical use by all structure. persons while bathing or swimming. Figures 4 and 5 are sectional views'taken The invention has been especially designed approximately upon the plane of the lines to afford mechanical propulsion means such i l and 55 respectively of Figure 2. as may be attached toboth the wrists and Figure 6 is a cross sectional viewthrough ankles of the user to expedite and facilitate the device showing a slightly modified form i movement through the water. of the invention. co

Briefly stated, the invention has reference In the drawings it will be seen that the to an accessory ofthis class which is characappliance is principally constructed of a pair terized principally by a pair of hingedly conof duplicate propelling elements which may i nected wings of a peculiar conhguration, be conveniently referred to as wings 7 and 8 these being embodied in a structure of aprespectively. These wings are jO I 65 propriate weight and design, and such strucgether through the mediumof a flexible rubture being equipped Withm intenance straps her body which is centrally arranged and or other equivalents andwhereby to permit generally designated by the reference chartt h t to ith th kl or th i t acter 9 andqthis functions as a hinge and nor or both, as desired. mally maintains the Wings in the approxi- In carrying the invention into practi e, I mate angular relationship seen in Figure l. ha 01111 1 it x di t t r vid a t111 3 In other Words, this is the closed position of ture which is distinguishable from analogous the g prior art devices in that it includes a simpli- 7 B W ngS and inge maybe molded from iied and economical arrangement of details & 3 .2 y f Tubbel! iHS'EMICQ, i 75 cooperating in an intimate and practical manas bcen found practical to construct the her for producing readily usable propulsion Wings from frames of the configuration means such as allows the wearer to make s w in Fig r 3. These frames are reined i th Water i ll h i th forcing members and are embedded in the well known scissors-stroke wherein the legs fie-Bible Webbed P 't S Well as in the 30 a -eyn e dt0 Va1-(1 d away f h th hinge body. The frames comprise spaced i a b t ti ll h i t l plane parallel bar members 10 joined to the curvate C id d f an thel angle, I h n'iarginal members 11, the members 11 being evolved and produced a practical appliance 0f t Plilll COIIfigHI'atiOH Shown in Figure for feet and hand use wherein two pairs of The f rence characters 12 merely desig- 35 th p li u id d d nate the cross braces. The reference numerwherein the hinged swingable wings thereof his 13 deslgnate nec ing rings which are are tt h d i reverse d f e l embedded in the hinge forming body as seen one being attached so that the Wings extend 111 Figure 4. The longitudinal sectional conrearwardly and the other attached so that the figuration 0f the gs is shown in Figure 5 wjngs egtgnd fgrwgrdly, thereby pro ngting flOlZl which ii? will be S6611 i-lliil) the 111311 01 a desirable alternate propulsion action such POIUOIIS f he Wings are relatively thin, thus insures quick propulsion in the water. g fleXible e s Within the area of the Other features and advantages will become 3 membfils 0f the W ra es 45 more readily apparent from the following The reference characters 14 and 15 desigdescription and drawings. nate attaching straps having complemental I th d adpistable buckle elements 16 and 17 respec- Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a tively. The straps are of course longitudipalrof the appliances attached to the feet of nally adpistable andslidably positioned and 59 the wearer. detachably connected in the passages 18 formed in the hinge portion of the device as seen in Figure Tapes or straps 19 may be employed to limit the outward swing of the wings as represented in dotted lines in Figure 4. Particularly do I wish to emphasize the outline configuration of these wings as well as the fact that they are formed at opposite ends with curvate flares 20 and 21 respectively.

In practice I provide a pair of these wing equipped appliances for the legs and these are strapped to the ankles adjacent the feet of the user as shown for example in Figure 1. As here represented, the wings of one apiliance, for instance on the right leg, extend orwardly and those on the left leg rearwardly, thus reversing the order of action and to increase the leverage and power of the leg strokes. It is obvious that as the legs aremoved in a swimming action, the wings of the respective appliances will flap back and forth to open and closed position to provide suflicient impact and power surface to literally drive the body through the wate The fact is, these appliances allow the wearer to move through the water in skating action. As before stated, the appliances are made not only for the legs but also for the hands (not shown) In the form of the invention shown in Figure 6, the wings 22 are of suitably shaped aluminum plates 23 and these are connected together by llIlkS or rings 24 embedded in the rubber hinge portion 25. Here again,

the hin e )ortion is formed with assa es t l P a:

hinge and possessing desirable inherent resilient properties such as normally maintain the wings closed but allows them to swing back and forth in an alternate manner while swimming.

The arrangement may be such as to provide rubber wings with the reinforcing frames embedded therein or aluminum wings embedded in the hinge forming body.

It is thought that a careful consideration of the description in connection with the drawings will enable the reader to obtain a clear understanding of the invention, the method of application and use, as well as the features and advantages of the invention. Therefore, a more lengthly description is believed to be unnecessary. Minor changes in shape, size and materials and rearrangements of details coming within the field of invention claimed may be resorted to in actual practice if desired.

I claim:

1. As a new product of manufacture, a swimmcrs appliance of the class described comprising a relatively thick centrally disposed rubber body, and a pair of duplicate wings connected thereto, said body constituting a hinge and possessing normal inherentproperties to maintain the wings in substantial parallelism but allowing the wings to swing outwardly to open position, and adjustable retaining straps carried by said body.

2. As a new product of manufacture, a swimmers appliance of the class described comprising a relatively thick centrally disposed rubber body, and a pair of duplicate wings connected thereto, said body constituting a hinge and possessing normal inherent properties to maintain the wings in substantial parallelism but allowing the wings to swing outwardly to open position, adjustable retaining straps carried by said body, together with tapes connected with free edge portions of the wings and said straps to limit the swinging motion of the wings in one direction.

3. In a swimmers appliance of the class described, a relatively thick resilient body constituting a hinge and having upper and lower transverse passages adapted to accommodate retaining straps, and a pair of duplicate wings associated with said body, said body constituting a hinge for said wings and presenting inherent resilient properties for normally maintaining the wings in closed position, there being a pair of said wings and these being joined together through the medium of links, said links being embedded in said body.

4. In a swimmers appliance of the class described, a relatively thick resilient body constitutin a hinge and. having upper and lower transverse passages adapted to accommodate retaining straps, and a pair of duplicate wings associated with said body, said body constituting a hinge for said wings and presenting inherent resilient properties for normally maintaing the wings in closed position, there being a pair of such wings and these being joined together througn the medium of links, said links being embedded in said body, said. wings being of longitudinal curvate configuration in top plan View and being provided at their opposite ends with flared corner portions.

In testimony whereof I atlix my sigi'iature.

NORMAN A. Ci-IAS'IENAY. 

